Young Immigrants Losing U.S Protections May Look To Canada

The White House’s plan to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program could spur thousands of young undocumented immigrants to head to Canada.

On Tuesday, the futures of over 800,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children became a little uncertain after President Donald Trump’s administration announced an end to DACA.

“To have a lawful system of immigration that serves the national interest, we cannot admit everyone who would like to come here,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a press conference announcing the decision.

Sessions called the decision a result of an “open border policy and the American people have rightly rejected.” He continued, “The nation must set and enforce a limit on how many immigrants we admit each year and that means all can not be accepted.”

Immigration lawyer and policy analyst Richard Kurland told Global News that Canada should prepare for a ripple effect as a result of the U.S.’s crackdown on immigration.

“It’s really odd. President Trump blamed Mexico for allowing illegal Mexicans entering the United States,” he said, adding Canadian border guards would need a clear plan to handle any possible influx of asylum seekers.

Former President Barack Obama was highly critical of the White House’s decision in a scathing post on Facebook.

The former president started DACA in 2012 as a way for young immigrants to receive reprieve from the threat of deportation with renewable work permits.